Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Flashcards

The Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal is structured around five distinct subtests. Which of the following is NOT one of these five subtests?

Answer: Problem Solving

The Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal consists of five sections: Inference, Recognition of Assumptions, Deduction, Interpretation, and Evaluation of Arguments. Problem Solving, while a related skill, is not one of the specific subtests in this assessment.

A manager states, 'To boost Q4 sales, we must immediately invest in a new social media advertising campaign.' Which of the following is a necessary assumption for this statement to be logical?

Answer: A new social media campaign will lead to an increase in sales.

The statement's logic depends on the unstated belief that the proposed action (investing in a social media campaign) will cause the desired outcome (boosting Q4 sales). The other options might be true or relevant, but they are not necessary assumptions for the core argument to hold.

Read the following passage: 'All employees who completed the advanced training program were eligible for a promotion. Sarah was eligible for a promotion.' Based only on this information, which conclusion necessarily follows?

Answer: No conclusion necessarily follows from the information given.

This question assesses Deduction. While it's possible Sarah completed the training, the passage doesn't state it's the ONLY way to become eligible. The statements establish a one-way relationship (Training -> Eligibility), but not the reverse (Eligibility -> Training). Therefore, we cannot be certain Sarah completed the training based solely on the text provided.

In the 'Evaluation of Arguments' section of the Watson-Glaser test, a 'strong' argument must be:

Answer: Important and directly related to the question.

According to the test's criteria, a strong argument is one that is both important and directly relevant to the question at hand. Other factors like factual correctness (which is assumed for the sake of the question) or emotional appeal are not the primary criteria for evaluation in this context.

A study showed that a city's ice cream sales and crime rates both increase during the summer months. Based on this information alone, which inference is most accurate?

Answer: There is insufficient data to determine a causal relationship.

This scenario tests the ability to distinguish correlation from causation. The provided data shows a correlation between ice cream sales and crime rates, but it does not provide enough information to conclude that one causes the other. A third factor, such as warmer weather, is a likely cause for both increases. Therefore, there is insufficient data to make a causal link.

In the 'Interpretation' section of the Watson-Glaser test, you are asked to decide if a conclusion 'Follows' or 'Does Not Follow' from a given passage. A conclusion should be judged as 'Follows' if it:

Answer: Follows beyond a reasonable doubt from the information given.

The 'Interpretation' section requires you to judge if a conclusion follows 'beyond a reasonable doubt'. This is a slightly less strict standard than the 'Deduction' section, where a conclusion must follow necessarily and without exception.